Bag-closing machine



Oct. 26 1926.

I. Tl ENGLISH BAGYILOSING MACHINE Filed Nov.. 1, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet l fA Vf/VTOI? [Z'fiyaz/y arm I l. T. ENGLISH BAG CLOSING MACHINE Filed Nov. 1, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 26, 1926.

l. T. ENGLISH BAG CLOSING MACHINE Filed Nov. 1, 1923 3 Shuts-Sheet :5

Patented @et. 25, 1926.

UETED STATES [Jul . tease rarest orrics.

IRA '1. ENGLXSH, OF PORTLAND, OREGON, ASSIG'NOR TO UNION SPECIAL MACHZNE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

BAG-CLOSING MACHINE.

Application filed November 1, 1923.

'lhis invention relates more particularly to means for closing cloth bags.

[in object of my invention is to provide an exceedingly simple machine in which a bag may he brought up to the desired weight and closed without moving the bag.

A second object is to so construct my ma chine that it may be used to close small bags which are easily moved by hand by moving the bag itself rather than the sewing head.

A third object is the incorporation of a scale with the machine inorder to expedite the weighing and closing operation and to secure a saving in floor space required for the operation of the machine.

A fourth object is the provision of a means for raising and lowering the sewing head to accommodate different sizes of sacks and different heights of operators.

accomplish. these results in the manner set forth in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my machine. Figure 2 is a perspective showing the removable table for use with very small bags. lligure 3 is a front elevation of the machine. Figure 4 is horizontal section along the line e f-4i in Fig. 3. Figure 5 is a side elevation of the upper portion of my machine with the sewing head removed. Figure 6 is a front elevation of Fig. 5 and Figure 7 is a rear elevation of Fig. 5 of which Figure 8 is a plan. Figure 9 is a vertical section taken along the line 99 in Fig. 8 in which the motor has been omitted. Figur 10 is an enlarged rear elevation of the idler wheel arm near its pivotal point. Figure 11 is a vertical section along the line 11-11 in Fig. 10.

Similar numbers of reference refer to the same parts throughout the several views.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, l have constructed my device upon a horizontal carriage which consists of the an gle iron sides and back 21, which carriage supported by the wheels 22. A deck 23, preferably of wood, is supported by the sides 20 and back 21. I

Rising from the sides 20 are the upright standards 24. againstwhioh are secured the guide strips 25. Between the guide strips -are placed the slide members 26 which are heldin place between the guides 25 by Serial No. 672,188.

thecover plates 27. Secured to each upright 24 between the slides 26-are the standards 28. Across the slides 26 are the nuts 29 in which are placed the vertical screws 30 whose lower ends journal in thestandards and carry the bevel gears 31 which mesh with the bevel gears 32 on the horizontal shaft 33. which journals in the upright standards 2% and is rotated by the crank Set whose rotation, it will be observed, will cause the brackets 35 to move vertically. The cover plates 27 on the front of thr machine are united at their lower end by the tie rod 36.

Secured across the brackets 35 is a channe iron track 37 which supports the base 38 of the sewing head carriage, whose wheels 39 are grooved to hold same on the track 37, but whose wheels 40 need not be grooved. It is preferable that both sides of these wheels be made ball bearing.

Between the sides of the channel 37 l have mounted a rack all which meshes with a pinion 42 secured on the lower end of the vertical shaft 13 whose upper end is provided with a clutch aw 44 which meshes with the slidable grooved clutch jaw 15, which is joined by the spline 16 to the vertical shaft at? which journals in the bearings on the table e19 which is supported by the legs above the base 38. A clutch operating arm 51 pivoted on the pin 52 in the standard 53 which projects downwardly from the table 49 rests on the cross lever 5d hinged on the standard 55. The lever 54 rest-s at its outer end 56 on the screw 57 which is threaded into the lever 58 pivoted on the bolt 59 on the ide of the base 38.

On top of the table 19 are the two bearings 60 which carry the horizontal worm shaft 61 on which is placed the worm 62 on whose forward end is secured the grooved pulley 63 which drives the sewing head drive belt 6 1 which travels around the idler pulleys 65 and around the sewing head pulley 66. The worm 62 meshes with the worm wheel 62 on the "shaft 47-. Underneath the cross lever 54 and threaded into the base 38 is a machine screw 67 which may be raised su-rliciently to cause the lever 54 to hold the clutch jaw 45 out of engagement with the clutch jaw 44. -Mounted onthe base 38 is a motorbS which is provided with a friction was 69 which ay elb o gh l o gagement with the idler wheel carried by the vertical arm 71 slidably mounted on the bolt 72.

A friction wheel 73 is secured on the horizontal shaft 61 and is arranged to be driven from the friction wheel 69 whenever the idler wheel 70 is sufliciently depressed. A projecting arm 74: is formed on the side of the vertical arm 71 and to it is attached the tension spring 75 secured at its lower end to a screw 76 which threads into the lever 58. The lower end 77 of the arm 71 is turned outwardly to form a foot which can engage the screw 78. It will be observed that the screw 78 does not touch the member 77 when the friction wheel 70 is depressed, or the clutch jaws 4:4: and 15 are in engagement.

Projecting from the lower edge of the lever 58 is an arm 79 on the side of which are secured the two rollers 80 which re ceive the swinging rod 81 pivoted on the rock shaft 82, which journals in the standards 83 on the brackets 35. On the shaft 82 is secured an arm 84 whose travel is limited by the stops 85 and 86 which determine the extreme travel of the lever 58. On the bracket 87 which is secured on the base 38 I have mounted the sewing head 88 which may be of any convenient style adapted for closing bags.

It will be observed that the needle 89 is horizontal and that the sack 90 rests on the platform 91 of the scale 92 of any type suitable for the purpose.

On the inner side of one of the members 20 I have placed the bearings 93 in which journals the shaft 9 1 on whose outer end is placed a spacer 95 and a foot lever 96, and on whose inner end issecured the vertical rocker arm 97 which engages the horizontal rocker arm 98 on the vertical shaft 99, whose lower end 100 journals in the lower portion of the side 20 and whose upper end telescopes inside of the tubular shaft 101 provided with a slot 102 which receives a pin 103 projecting from the shaft 99. The upper end of the tubular shaft 101 journals in a bracket 104 secured to the under side of the bracket 35. A rocker arm 105 is joined by the connecting rod 106 to the lever 107 on the rock shaft 82. A spring 108 is provided to urge the foot lever 96 upwardly.

The usual racket 109 is provided for the sewing cord spools 110.

When small bags are sewed it is preferable to hold the lever 54.- upwardly by means of the screw 67 which prevents the sewing head carriage from being fed along the, track and the bags are placed on a raised table 111 supported by the cross members 112 whose ends rest against the under side of the studs 113, and whose notches'llet fit overthe 'studslla This construction pereos-see mits the table 111 to be easily put into place or removed at the will of the operator.

v On the upper side of the member 37 are placed the end stops 116, and the base 38 may be provided with an elastic buffer 117 which will absorb the shock of stopping the carriage.

It is-also desirable that the track 37 be given a slight slope upwardly to the right hand side of the machine so that the carriage will require little or no urging to make same return to its point of rest. Figure 3 illus trates the position of the carriage at the end of a seam.

The operation of my device is as follows. When closing ordinary size sacks the sack is filled on the usual packing machine until the approximate weight is obtained and it then placed upon the scale platform 91 and brought to the correct weight by the addition or removal of the necessary amount of the contents. The mouth of the bag 90 is then gathered together and one end of same is brought under the pressure foot of the sewing'head. The foot lever 96 is then depressed, Which starts the sewing head carraige to feed along on its track at the sewing speed, and also drives the sewing head through the belt 64: causing a straight seam to be sewed across the mouth of the bag.

By means of the crank 34: it is possible to raise the needle 89 to the correct position for the style of bag being sewed before commencing the operation. Should this make the point of sewing too low for the operator,

it is only necessary to place a box or other support on the scale to bring the bag mouth up to the required height, in which case, of course, the allowance must be made in adjusting the scale to take care of the weight of the box.

hen small bags are sewed, such as salt bags, etc., the screw 67 is raised to hold the carriage feed clutch out of engagement and the stops 118 are inserted into the holes 119, which permits the device to be used as a stationary head machine if desired.

In some cases it may be found desirable to place a row of the small bags on the table 111 and withdraw the stops 118 and permit the sewing head 88 to travel along the row of sacks.

It will be understood that this machine is especially designed for handling large outputs of materials where time is an important factor and when bags of twenty five pounds in weight or over are sewed,

but by making the above suggested changes it will work equally well on smaller sizes.

W hat I claim s:

1. A bag closing machine consisting of a support, a pair of upright standards mounted on said support, vertical slides secured to said standards; a track mounted acrossthe' top'of said slides, a carriage on Vii said track, a sewing head on said carriage, and means for adjusting the height of said sewing head consisting of a pair of vertical screws whose upper ends pass through nuts secured to said slides, and whose lower ends journal in bearings mounted against said upright standards each of said screws having a bevel gear secured to its lower end and a horizontal shaft journaling in said upright standards and having mounted on same a pair of bevel gears meshing with the gears on said screws said shaft having a crank placed on its outer end.

In a bag closing machine, the combination of a horizontal track having a carriage mounted thereon said carriage having 211 raised table formed on its upper side, a main shaft journaling on said raised table, a motor on said carriage arranged to frictionally drive said main shaft, a feed mechanism for said carriage consisting of a rack secured to said track meshing with a pinion on said carriage driven from said main shaft, a clutch means for engaging said can riage feed mechanism, a lever on the side of said carriage arranged to vary the friction in said motor drive and control said clutch, means for actuating said lever consisting of a rockable rod mounted alongside of said track slidably engaging said lever, and a foot pedal with connecting means for actuating said rockable rod.

The combination of a sloping track with means for raising said track, a carriage on said track, a main shaft on said carriage having a friction wheel at one end, a motor on said carriage also provided with a friction wheel, an idler friction wheel between said motor and main shaft, a swinging arm for supporting said idler wheel said arm being attached to said carriage by means of a single bolt, said wheel being urged forwardly toward the main shaft and downwardly by a spring, and a lever on the side of said carriage adapted to raise said arm in a manner to disengage said idler wheel from said motor wheel.

4. The combination of a support, a pair of upright standards mounted on said support, vertical slides within said standards, a track across the top of said slides, a sewing head carriage mounted on said track, means for regulating the height of said sewing head carriage, and means for controlling the application of power to said sewing head and its feed mechanism consisting of a vertical telescoping shaft whose lower end is mounted on said support and whose upper end journals in a bracket on said support and having a foot pedal on said truck arranged to rock said telescopic shaft, and connecting means between the upper end of said telescopic shaft and the sewing head carriage mechanism.

5. In a filled bag closing machine, the combination of a track, a carriage adapted to move along said track, a sewing head mounted on said carriage and depending therefrom, actuating means adapted to be connected to said carriage for positively moving said carriage along said track in one direction, manually controlied means for connecting said actuating means to said carriage and for disconnecting the same from said carriage, and means for returning said carriage to initial starting position when the manually controlled means has disconnected the actuating means from the carriage.

6. In a filled bag closing machine, the combination of an inclined track, a carriage mounted on said track, a sewing head depending from said carriage, a motor mounted on said carriage, means operated by said motor for positively moving said carriage up said inclined track, means operated by said motor for actuating the sewing head, treadle controlled devices for simultaneously connecting said motor with thesewing head actuating means and with the carriage moving means, and means for disengaging said motor from the carriage moving means when said treadle is released, whereby said carriage is allowed to return by gravity to the initial starting posit-ion therefor.

7. In a filled bag closing machine, the combination of a vertically adjustable inclined track, a.carriage mounted on said track, a sewing head depending from said carriage, a motor mounted on said carriage, means operated by said motor for positively moving said carriage up said inclined track, means operated by said motor for actuating said sewing head, treadle actuated devices for simultaneously engaging said motor with the sewing head actuating means and with the carriage moving means, and means for disengaging said motor from the moving means for the carriage when said treadle is released, whereby the carriage is allowed toreturn by gravity to its initial starting position, said treadle actuated devices including means for automatically compensating for the vertical adjustment of said clined track.

IRA T. ENGLISH.

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